Jungo looked at Stringle's slumped form. "But Cap'n, dat 'un can't say a werd to anybeast no more."
Vizka fixed the dull-witted weasel with a deadly smile. "Aye, an' yew won't either if'n ya don't do like I says!"
Rangval pounded Osbil's back. "I knew ye could do it, mate, shure it was a grand shot, so 'twas, clean as a whistle!"
Maudie shook her shrew friend by his paw. "Well done, sah! That's one rascal whose murderin' days are over, wot! So, how does it feel, bucko? You've done what you wished, put paid to your dear old dad's killer."
Osbil passed the bow back to its owner, commenting, "Too far off t'feel anything, miz. Wish I could've met the rat face-to-face, an' paw-to-paw, made him beg for mercy afore I slayed him!"
Surprised by his vehemence, Maudie shook her head. "Golly, you're a savage young feller, Osbil."
The Guosim Log a Log nodded. "I'm a Guosim an' I am wot I am. Tell me, miz, would you feel the same about some vermin who'd killed yore father?"
The haremaid was forced to concur with his logic. "You can bet your bally boots I would, bucko!" To change the subject, Maudie took stock of the scene, staring down at the woodlands. "Seems to have gone jolly quiet down there, wot? Nobeast chargin' or retaliatin', wonder what's goin' on?"
Gorath leaned on his pitchfork, watching the land below
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the plateau. "Mayhaps they're getting ready for an all-out effort. What do you think, Salixa?"
The badgermaid summed up her outlook on the situation. "I don't think they'll be mounting any major attack, we're in too strong a position at the moment. If the fox is in command, he'll lay siege to us. Without supplies or reinforcements, time isn't on our side. The vermin still have us far outnumbered, I think they'll play the waiting game. It's the sensible thing to do, and it will save them losing more creatures on their side."
Rangval winked at Gorath, remarking quietly, "Ah now, there's a pretty maid who's as brainy as she's beautiful. Ye couldn't do much better'n to stick with her, if'n I say so meself!"
Gorath winked back at the rogue squirrel. "I intend to!"
The day rolled onward, with the sun mounting high on the shadeless sandstone plateau. Together with Salixa and Kachooch, Maudie helped to apportion and distribute their scant ration of food and drink. Like most hares, Maudie had always been blessed with a healthy appetite. She viewed her miserable ration gloomily, a slice of apple, a small piece of hard cheese, a tiny crust of bread and half a beaker of watered-down shrewbeer.
It was the same for everybeast. The normally cheerful Rangval scowled at his portion in disbelief. "In the name of pity, is this all we're gettin'? Shure, there's not enough nourishment here to keep fur'n'bone t'gether!"
Gorath caught the disapproving glance which Salixa shot at the rogue squirrel. Shielding Rangval from the Guosim with his huge bulk, Gorath lectured him tersely. "I know it's little enough, friend, but don't start complaining. You'll not only upset the Guosim, but should any of the vermin hear you, they'll know what a bad fix we're in, d'you understand?"
Rangval saluted smartly several times. "Ah, shure yore right, sir, aren't I the pudden-headed ould grouser. Now
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don't you go frettin' yore grand self, leave it t'me, I'll soon put things right."
Gorath watched him as he sat on the rim of the plateau, dangling his footpaws. Salixa also watched Rangval.
"What's he up to now?"
Gorath shrugged his mighty shoulders. "I'm sure we'll soon find out, one way or another."
They did, as did everybeast on both sides, a moment later. The rogue squirrel began yelling at the top of his voice. His plan was to fool the vermin into thinking that there was no shortage of food or drink on top of the plateau.
"Ah, cook darlin', will ye take those mushroom an' gravy pasties out o' me sight. If'n I eats one more I'll burst. Just pass me a flagon of that grand ould October Ale ye've got coolin' in the shade, if y'please."
Rangval continued as though he were conversing with some imaginary cook. "What's that? No, no, I couldn't manage another crumb of that plum'n'apple pudden. No, I'm sorry, cooky, cheese'n'leek turnover, I've already had two. Are ye tryin' t'stuff me to death with yore fine vittles! Lissen, t'me, for pity's sake. I don't want any more to eat! No fresh-baked bread an' soft cheese, no summer veggible soup, meadowcream scones, strawberry preserve, fruit cake, elderberry jelly or cold mint tea. Just a drop of the October Ale, to settle me pore, groanin' ould stummick. Yowch!"
A well-aimed slingstone hit Rangval's bushy eartip. Wincing and rubbing his stinging ear, he grunted. "Ah, I'm gettin' through t'the scummy ould vermin at last!" He turned in time to see a Guosim shrew launch another pebble at him. Leaping to one side smartly, the rogue squirrel complained bitterly. "Cease fire, ye eejit, are ye tryin' to kill me?"
Osbil signalled the warrior to stay his paw. The shrew chieftain glared angrily at Rangval. "I'll do the job for him if'n ye don't shut up goin' on an' on about vittles!"
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"Aye, matey, belay that talk!"
The squirrel countered indignantly, "Wasn't I only tauntin' the villains, to make 'em think we're not short o' a bite to eat up here?"
Both beasts were in a fine temper, threatening one another as they came nose to nose.
Maudie forced her way between the irate pair. "Steady on, chaps, there's no blinkin' need for all this shoutin' an' arguin', eh, wot!"
Osbil seethed, "Then tell that fool to shuttup about vittles!"
Rangval gritted his teeth aloud. "You tell that dimwit I was only doin' it to tease the enemy!"
Maudie felt herself drawn into the quarrel, she wagged a paw under Rangval's nose, raising her voice. "It's you who's the dimwit. Teasin' the enemy, if y'please, did it occur to you that it might jolly well be your own side who are bein' teased twice as bad, eh?"
It was Salixa's calm demeanour that halted the row. "What Maudie means is that we're the ones who have no food or water. Down there the foebeast can forage for their needs, and there's probably a stream close by. I'm sorry, Rangval, but yelling about delicious food is only upsetting your own comrades."
The sun beat down mercilessly on the bare rock plateau as the three creatures stopped their argument. There was an awkward silence, which was broken by Gorath as he peered down to the bushy shade, where Stringle's carcass still lay. "It's gone very quiet down there. I wonder what's going on?"
Rangval tried to get in the closing remark. "Maybe I made 'em hungry, an' they've toddled off to lunch somewhere, aye, that'll be it!"
Gorath's level stare silenced the rogue squirrel. Salixa patted the big badger's paw comfortingly. "Whatever's going on down there is nothing we can't take care of together."
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Things were going better for Vizka Longtooth than he imagined they would. Suddenly the golden fox had more beasts under his command than ever before in his infamous career. He had two things to thank for this stroke of fortune, the death of Stringle and his own powers of eloquence. That, plus the fact that Brownrats were not the smartest of vermin. Without a leader, the Brownrat horde were fish out of water. Once the word got around that Stringle had been slain, the Brownrats did what they had always done, sat and waited for somebeast (usually Gruntan Kurdly) to galvanise them back into action. Stringle had been Kurdly's sole leading officer. Now that he was gone, the Brownrats were waiting for somebeast to tell them what to do.
Vizka was quick to realise this. He delegated each of his crew to act as group leaders. As tawdry as they were, the seafaring vermin looked superior to Brownrats, who were little better than primitive savages with their paint-daubed fur and stone-tipped clubs or spears. Vizka sent his crew among the horde, to order (not invite) all Brownrats to a meeting with him, in a clearing, west of the plateau.
Wielding the sword of Martin in one paw, and carrying his mace and chain in the other, he watched them file silently into the woodland clearing, they outnumbered his crew by at least six to one. The Brownrats seated themselves on the sward, whilst the Bludgullet's crew stood around behind them on the fringe of the gathering. The golden fox took the floor, smiling as he made his address, his quick eyes watching everybeast closely.